Black Panther premiered to a lucky few last night, and fear not—the movie does not disappoint. Early reactions are positively incandescent, with many viewers calling Black Panther the best Marvel movie yet. They applauded director Ryan Coogler, the film's centering of its female leads—Lupita Nyong'o as Nakia, Danai Gurira as Okoye, Letitia Wright as Shuri, and Angela Bassett as Ramonda—and a standout performance from Michael B. Jordan as villain Eric Killmonger.
Public plot details are scarce, and official reviews won't be out until February 6, but here's what you need to know before going in: Black Panther picks up directly after the events of Captain America: Civil War, as T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) ascends the throne of Wakanda to take his place as king and legendary hero Black Panther—until a mysterious outsider (Jordan) threatens his claim. The film also stars Forest Whitaker, Daniel Kaluuya, Sterling K. Brown, Martin Freeman, and Andy Serkis.
While you wait for the movie's February 16 premiere date satisfy yourself with these glowing tweets—and buy lots and lots of tickets.
Some viewers were borderline speechless:
You will cry:
You will see it multiple times:
The cast is STUNNING:
The film's women were its true stars:
Oh, and then there was this scene:
And Michael B. Jordan as villain Eric Killmonger got a lot of love:
Black Panther is another stark reminder of the importance of representation:
Actually, it's the best superhero movie, period:
